January 13, 2005
The Kenora District Camp Owners Association (KDCOA) and Northwestern Ontario Sportsmen’s Alliance (NOSA) have joined a growing list of groups who want the Ministry of Natural Resources to make changes to the non-resident deer hunt. KDCOA president Harald Lohn said Wednesday that many non-resident deer hunters are coming to the region and “hunting on the cheap.” “There are non-residents who virtually spend nothing while hunting” in Northwestern Ontario. He said they pay for a deer licence and then camp on Crown land, not contributing to the local economy. “Outfitters have spent a lot of money on infrastructure and promotion of their facilities, and non-residents should be staying with them, or other accommodations in the area,” said Lohn. At the very least, he said, area hotels and restaurants should be getting some economic impact from visiting hunters. A Dryden-area sportmen’s group said this week that it wants the ministry to cap the number of U.S. deer hunters and put quotas on the non-resident deer harvest in each wildlife management unit. “Something has to be done . . . with the flood of Americans (hunting in the Dryden area),” committee member Hal Wilmering said. Resident hunters are being displaced from traditional hunting areas, he said, and too many trophy deer are being killed. NOSA president John Kaplanis suggests that the MNR take “a more aggressive approach to managing deer in core moose range.” “The white-tailed deer (population) explosion in the western part of the province has resulted in the displacement and demise of a once large population of moose in that area,” he said. Kaplanis said the MNR must examine ways to direct non-resident deer hunters to outfitters and provide a means of controlling non-resident hunting pressure. Natural Resources Minister David Ramsay said he is aware of the non-resident deer hunter debate. In a letter to Lohn, Ramsay states that he agrees with “a need to further examine the non-resident deer hunting situation in Northwestern Ontario.” “The MNR has been monitoring the increasing non-resident deer hunting pressure as it relates to potential impacts on hunter congestion, hunt quality and the sustainability of the deer population.” The MNR has also been working with local stakeholders and an advisory committee to develop recommendations on how to address the increasing non-resident deer hunt in Northwestern Ontario, he said, adding that recommendations from the advisory committee related to non-resident deer hunters camping on Crown land have been implemented. Ramsay goes on to state that MNR staff continue to review the current status of the hunt, outstanding recommendations from the advisory committee and the management options available. As for Lohn’s suggestion that non-resident deer hunters should stay with licensed outfitters, Ramsay explained that during an earlier review, it was pointed out that MNR does not have the option of simply requiring all non-resident deer hunters to be accommodated at a commercial tourism establishment. Legal opinion has consistently indicated that such a move would be in contravention of the North American Free Trade Agreement, Ramsay said, adding that he expected discussions would be held soon “to help explore other creative solutions.” Meanwhile, there are some tourist outfitters benefiting from the influx of non-resident deer hunters. “You’ve got the good and the bad (of the matter near Dryden),” Lohn said. He said some Dryden, Vermilion Bay and Kenora outfitters get bookings from Americans who have been tipped off about the trophy deer buzz in the area. Massive non-resident hunter interest was generated from the harvest of a trophy buck in the Dryden area in 2003. The rare 18-point buck was illegally killed at night by a Louisiana man. Antler scoring officials have indicated the deer may mark a new Ontario record.